Big Tex's mic hasn't been checked yet, nary a "Howdy, folks" has floated across the fairgrounds. And there's not a single corndog to eat. Yet. But the State Fair of Texas is already underway. (For those counting the days, the fair runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 19.)

One of the most exciting things about the State Fair is the big reveal of the best of the best in fried-food land , known as the Big Tex Choice Awards. There are four categories: best sweet, best savory, and best overall. Plus, a new arrival this year, the best-tasting "sipper," a drink.

The Big Tex Choice Awards started in 2005 to celebrate the crazy foods that concessionaires fry up each year. Since the awards began, it has been "game on."

Winning one is sort of like getting the lotto numbers. Maybe five of the six; if you

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